Driving In Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all four
wheels on the most solid area of the trail.
Shift to a lower gear and drive steadily
through the terrain. Apply the accelerator
slowly and avoid excessive wheel slip. Do
not drive your vehicle in deep sand for an
extended period of time. This will cause
the system to overheat. A message
appears in the information display. See
All-Wheel Drive – Information
Messages (page 220).
Note: If your vehicle gets stuck in sand, it
may be rocked out by shifting between
forward and reverse gears, stopping
between shifts in a steady pattern. Press
lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Note: Do not rock your vehicle if the engine
is not at normal operating temperature, as
damage to the transmission may occur.
Note: Do not rock your vehicle for more
than a minute, as damage to the
transmission and tires may occur or the
engine may overheat.
Driving Through Mud and Water
Mud
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle
speed or direction when you are driving in
mud. Even all-wheel drive vehicles can lose
traction in mud. If your vehicle does slide,
steer in the direction of the slide until you
regain control of your vehicle.
After driving through mud, clean off residue
stuck to rotating driveshafts and tires.
Excess mud stuck on tires and rotating
driveshafts can cause an imbalance that
could damage drive components.
Note: If your vehicle gets stuck in mud, it
may be rocked out by shifting between
forward and reverse gears, stopping
between shifts in a steady pattern. Press
lightly on the accelerator in each gear. Note:
Do not rock your vehicle if the engine
is not at normal operating temperature, as
damage to the transmission may occur.
Note: Do not rock your vehicle for more
than a minute, as damage to the
transmission and tires may occur or the
engine may overheat.
Water
If you must drive through deep water, drive
slowly. The water could limit traction or
brake capability. See Driving Through
Shallow Water (page 311).
When driving through water, determine the
depth and avoid water higher than the
center of the wheel.
Once through water, always try the brakes.
Wet brakes will not stop your vehicle as
quickly as dry brakes. Apply light pressure
to the brake pedal while slowly moving the
vehicle to dry the brakes.
Note: Driving through deep water could
cause damage to the transmission. If the
front or rear axle is submerged in water, the
axle lubricant and power transfer unit
lubricant should be checked and changed
if necessary.
Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Although natural obstacles could make it
necessary to travel diagonally up or down
a hill or steep incline, you should try to drive
straight up or straight down.
Note: Avoid turning on steep slopes or
hills. A danger lies in losing traction, slipping
sideways and possible vehicle roll over.
Whenever driving on a hill, determine
beforehand the route you can use. Do not
drive over the crest of a hill without seeing
what conditions are on the other side. Do
not drive in reverse over a hill without the
aid of an observer.
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Escape (CTC) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 02-11-2020, enUSA, Edition date: 202011, First-Printing All-Wheel Drive
(If Equipped)
PREPARING YOUR VEHICLE
FOR STORAGE
If you plan on storing your vehicle for 30
days or more, the following maintenance
recommendations ensures your vehicle
stays in good operating condition.
Under various conditions, long-term
storage may lead to degraded engine
performance or failure unless you use
specific precautions to preserve your
vehicle.
General
•
Store all vehicles in a dry, ventilated
place.
• If vehicles are stored outside, they
require regular maintenance to protect
against rust and weather damage.
• Make sure all linkages, cables, levers
and pins under your vehicle are covered
with grease to prevent rust.
• Move vehicles at least 25 ft (7.5 m)
every 15 days to lubricate working parts
and prevent corrosion.
• Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel
until the first automatic shutoff of the
fuel pump nozzle.
Engine
• Change the engine oil and filter prior to
storage because used engine oil
contains contaminants which may
cause engine damage.
• Start the engine every 15 days for a
minimum of 15 minutes. Run at fast
idle with the climate controls set to
defrost until the engine reaches normal
operating temperature.
• With your foot on the brake, shift
through all the gears while the engine
is running. Body
•
Wash your vehicle thoroughly to
remove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from
exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housings
and the underside of front fenders.
• Periodically wash your vehicle if it is
stored in exposed locations.
• Touch-up exposed or primed metal to
prevent rust.
• Cover chrome and stainless steel parts
with a thick coat of auto wax to prevent
discoloration. Re-wax as necessary
when you wash your vehicle.
• Lubricate all hood, door and luggage
compartment hinges and latches with
a light grade oil.
• Cover interior trim to prevent fading.
• Keep all rubber parts free from oil and
solvents.
Hybrid Battery Systems
We recommend the following actions for
your vehicle:
• When storing your vehicle for greater
than 30 days the state of charge
should be approximately 50%.
Additionally we recommend
disconnecting the 12V battery which
will reduce system loads on the HV
battery.
12 Volt Battery
• Check and recharge as necessary. Keep
connections clean.
Note: It is necessary to reset memory
features if you disconnect the battery
cables.
Brakes
Make sure the brakes and parking brake
release fully.
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Escape (CTC) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 02-11-2020, enUSA, Edition date: 202011, First-Printing Storing Your Vehicle
We strongly recommend only using our
genuine or our authorized re-manufactured
replacement parts engineered for your
vehicle.
Additives and Chemicals
We do not recommend using chemicals or
additives not approved by us as part of
your vehicle
’s normal maintenance. Please
consult your warranty information.
Oils, Fluids and Flushing
In many cases, fluid discoloration is a
normal operating characteristic and, by
itself, does not necessarily indicate a
concern or that the fluid needs to be
changed. Have discolored fluids that also
show signs of overheating or foreign
material contamination checked
immediately. Make sure to change the vehicle
’s oils and
fluids at the specified intervals or in
conjunction with a repair. Flushing is a
viable way to change fluid for many vehicle
sub-systems during scheduled
maintenance. It is critical that systems are
flushed only with new fluid that is the same
as that required to fill and operate the
system or using our approved flushing
chemical.
Owner Checks and Services
Make sure you perform the following basic
maintenance checks and inspections. Check Every Month
The air filter restriction gauge. 1
The engine oil level.
Function of all interior and the exterior lights.
The tires including the spare for wear and proper pressure. The windshield washer fluid level.
The fuel and water separator. Drain if necessary or if indicated by the information display. 1
The holes and slots in the tail pipe to make sure they are functional and clear of debris. 1
1 Diesel vehicles only. Check Every Six Months
The battery connections. Clean if necessary.
The body and door drain holes for obstructions. Clean if necessary. The cooling system fluid level and the coolant system strength.
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Escape (CTC) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 02-11-2020, enUSA, Edition date: 202011, First-Printing Scheduled Maintenance
Tampering with emissions
control systems including
related sensors or the Diesel
Exhaust Fluid system can result in reduced
engine power and the illumination of the
service engine soon light.
Tampering With a Noise Control
System
Federal laws prohibit the following acts:
• Removal or rendering inoperative by
any person other than for purposes of
maintenance.
• Repair or replacement of any device or
element of the design incorporated into
a new vehicle for the purpose of noise
control prior to its sale or delivery to
the ultimate purchaser or while it is in
use.
• The use of the vehicle after any person
removes or renders inoperative any
device or element of the design.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
may presume to constitute tampering as
follows:
• Removal of hood blanket, fender apron
absorbers, fender apron barriers,
underbody noise shields or acoustically
absorptive material.
• Tampering or rendering inoperative the
engine speed governor, to allow engine
speed to exceed manufacturer
specifications.
If the engine does not start, runs rough,
experiences a decrease in engine
performance, experiences excess fuel
consumption or produces excessive
exhaust smoke, check for the following:
• A plugged or disconnected air inlet
system hose.
• A plugged engine air filter element.
• Water in the fuel filter and water
separator. •
A clogged fuel filter.
• Contaminated fuel.
• Air in the fuel system, due to loose
connections.
• An open or pinched sensor hose.
• Incorrect engine oil level.
• Incorrect fuel for climatic conditions.
• Incorrect engine oil viscosity for
climactic conditions.
Note: Some vehicles have a lifetime fuel
filter that is integrated with the fuel tank.
Regular maintenance or replacement is not
needed.
Note: If these checks do not help you
correct the concern, have your vehicle
checked as soon as possible.
Noise Emissions Warranty,
Prohibited Tampering Acts and
Maintenance
On January 1, 1978, Federal regulation
became effective governing the noise
emission on trucks over 10,000 lb
(4,536 kg) Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR). The preceding statements
concerning prohibited tampering acts and
maintenance, and the noise warranty
found in the Warranty Guide, are
applicable to complete chassis cabs over
10,000 lb (4,536 kg)
GVWR.
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Escape (CTC) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 02-11-2020, enUSA, Edition date: 202011, First-Printing Customer Information